I am not quite sure about exactly what is date will make added 2x flight out of IAH and this is quite doing very well on their way to AMS. Is hat flight was always full on the way, right? I'm glad to hear about CO make add second flight to AMS.

glad to hear that houston-amsterdam is doing so well. i'm assuming that the success of this flight is a result of the large amount of connections being made at both hubs onto other destinations. however, i would have expected newark to receive double daily service before houston. i guess houston does have more links to onward destinations, though, and the new york-amsterdam/europe market is already heavily filled anyway.

is this the rumored new longhaul from houston for summer '04, or can we expect to hear something else from continental within the next few months?

This new flight is a little strange. It will only operate IAH-AMS on SUN/THU, then back on FRI/MON. 767-200. Oddly, it will arrive and depart within a half hour of the daily KLM 744. CO will now have nine weekly AMS-IAH, along with KL.

KLM's second flight operates FRI/SUN, so on Fridays we'll have four flights from AMS, and on Sundays four flights to.

Is this a competitive response to KLM's extra service, or actual needed capacity? The timing (just weeks after KLM increases) is a little suspect.

Either way, pleased to see AMS-IAH go 18X weekly. I'd love to see both KL and CO's additional services go daily for four times daily service...how's that for alliance growth?

IAH-AMS with a 764 sounds like a receipe for very unhappy customers. It's absolutely max range for the 764 (a tick more than EWR-HNL), and to get that distance means running right down "jetstream alley." Trying to get north of Iceland would push the routing close to 5200sm, which could leave a lot of flights stopping at CLE -- with passengers missing connections (unlike EWR-HNL, where, for the most part, it just gets folks in late, but they don't have onward connections).

That said, I hope it does work out...it'd be a grea accomplishment for a much-maligned aircraft type.

IAH-AMS has only been operated with 764 periodically. Best bet is that it will go 777 in the summer, as it has in the past, to mitigate any need for stopovers due to limited performance in those humid IAH summers. Still, I have not heard of the 764 having any trouble completing this route when scheduled, and often runs with full loads in either direction.

however, i would have expected newark to receive double daily service before houston

I would think so too, except for one big factor: Shell. Shell's US headquarters are in Houston, and their two major European operations are in London and Amsterdam. Shell is well-known for sending its employees on extensive business trips throughout the year. At first I thought Shell might have given some sort of guarantee to CO (much like Glaxo's contract with AA for RDU-LGW flights), but then I realized that this Dutch company probably has some kind of agreement with KLM. Nevertheless, Shell played a role, directly or indirectly, in getting this second flight to IAH.

Interesting... CO doesn't have enough B762 or B777 to operate the flights they have scheduled under those equipment.

- - -

(to update an earlier post)

This is Continental's current Summer 2004 (as taken from their online timetable) widebody flying w/my rough estimate of approximate aircraft usage for each route (based upon the flight times - note that some flights, like the GRU and TLV, may require more/less):

Also note that there is a single B762, B764 and B777 in each direction between EWR/IAH -- these are repositioning flights... no more widebodies elsewhere (e.g. SFO, CO / KMCO), USA - Florida">CO / KMCO), USA - Florida">MCO, SJU, SDQ, etc.)

Actually I updated the EWR-TLV aircraft numbers (and before anyone asks, the new flight quicky turns at TLV, so CO can rotate it with a single aircraft wheras the existing flight sits on the ground for half a day, requiring the rotation of a second aircraft)... the listing is organized by aircraft, so the EWR-CDG flights are split under the 762 and 777. I don't see an IAH-MAD nonstop uploaded into the timetables yet.

My point was to illustrate that CO doesn't have the equipment to operate the flights per scheduled equipment status quo... they have the equipment but some shuffling will be done... my bet for one of the changes is the termination of the EWR-LAX 762 flights, eliminating domestic widebody sevice for the summer (excluding repositioning flights between IAH/EWR).

Patent, IAH-MAD for sometime in late spring, early summer. I have heard out of both Gordons mouth and also out of Kelners mouth, so while I will believe it when I see it, when it is those two saying it, and the company has started sending out notices about company sponsored spanish classes available, I tend to believe it.

Artsyman,
I should clarify what I meant: I posted the current widebody schedule for CO's summer 2004 schedule... obviously it needs some work (I mean they have the equipment to operate all the flights they want to, but they don't have enough B777 to operate all the scheduled B777 flights) -- maybe it'll be fixed when CO adds IAH-MAD.

A hot rumor (or has it been confirmed?) says CO will reduce the F cabin on select 752 for lesiure destinations + all of the 753. Are the 753 over-water equipped? I'm wondering if LAX-HNL may be 753-bound...

As of this week, the 753 is going to be 12 and 210 config. Thats 210 passengers in coach on a narrow body aircraft !!, they obviously feel that it can do the trick on the leisure routes. The 753 for Continental is really aimed at the sub 4 hour flights. So while I could never rule out HNL runs, I do not see it happening.

I heard CO is making a big announcement on Monday. Do you know what it is Artsy? Also.... Like asked before but not answered is LOS happening? Does this cover the big secret city CO is announcing this year?

I see it as a smart move. They will get much more revenue out of that aircraft type. They will obviously get the increase in revenue from the added seats in coach, and with only 12 F seats, the people that really want them will pay for them rather than waiting for an upgrade that may not come.

25 ScottysAir
: Sllevin, Right, I'm not in FLL anymore and so we are moving to PHX already. It is very wonderful place to live. So what are you think about of you guy

26 Sllevin
: the people that really want them will pay for them rather than waiting for an upgrade that may not come. And others will say...well, hard to redeem m

27 MAH4546
: I have no idea regarding CO's plans for MAD-IAH, but I don't believe the US and Spain have Open Skies and Continental has yet to file anything with DO

28 Artsyman
: I can do some on an airline where the FFbenefits are better. **** From a domestic travel and unlimited upgrade point of view, there is not a better FF

29 Sllevin
: From a domestic travel and unlimited upgrade point of view, there is not a better FF program. Which part of losing 12 F seats, and "if they really wan

30 A340Spotter
: Randy4920, "Like asked before but not answered is LOS happening?" Probably at some time in the future. And I have heard from a very reliable source it

31 ConcordeBoy
: Continentals Onepass while taking some flak from time to time Ya mean like this?

32 Artsyman
: Oddly enough Concordeboy, didn't I hear out of your keyboard that you thought Continentals Onepass was by far the best Domestic ff program ? J

33 ConcordeBoy
: ...since you wont quit farting on me until I admit it, here goes: Ahem... "Yes, CO does have the best domestic FFP out there"

34 777gk
: Will confirm that the 757-300s are indeed going to 12/210- from a friend of mine down in IAH this is the configuration they figured to maximize revenu

35 IndustrialPate
: With apologies and respect to artysman, 777gk and every other CO employee: FlyerTalk's jiburi, not me, authored this but I thought it was so damn funn